Sir Meliant de Lis (or Lile) - sometimes 'of
the Rock' - was the son of King Norrois (alias Gilbert) of Lis (and Lord
of the Waste Manor). He was brother of Lady Guilorete, Sir Brandelis,
Gyamoure and Tyrry; as well as nephew of King
Bagdemagus of Gore. His father was killed by Sir
Lancelot when Meliant was young and his upbringing was entrusted
to Sir Tibaut of Tintagel. While he was a squire, Meliant fell in love
with Tibaut's eldest daughter, Obie. She would not have him, however,
until he became a knight and challenged her father to a tournament. On the
appointed day, however, Gawain arrived and championed Tibaut, unhorsing
Meliant and taking him captive to the younger sister, Obilot the Maid with
the Little Sleeves. The foster father and son were afterwards reconciled.

Meliant entered the Grail
Quest as the squire of his uncle, King Bagdemagus, but deserted him for Sir
Galahad at the White Abbey. The latter knighted him and the two
rode together until they came to a perilous crossroads. Meliant chose the
left fork signposted for honourable knights only; but soon found himself
badly wounded by an unknown knight when he stole a golden crown from a
woodland bower. Luckily, Galahad turned up to carry him off to the
ministrations of an elderly monk. He did recover and was present when
Galahad completed the Quest at Corbenic. Back at court, Meliant was made a
Knight of the Round
Table. Chrétien de Troyes lists him as the seventh best knight at
Arthur's Court. He was certainly one of the only knights to ever have
crossed to Sorelais via the dangerous North Welsh Bridge. Sir Meliant
married Princess Florée, the daughter of King Alain of Escavalon. He
fought for Arthur at the Siege of Logres Castle; but, later, as with Sir
Kay, the two seem to have fallen out. Meliant and Kay joined
forces with Brian of the Isles in Brittany and led an invasion of Britain.
Sir Lancelot mortally wounded Meliant at Battle of Pennevoiseuse and he
died soon afterward. Others versions of his story, indicating that he
joined Lancelot's party and was exiled as the Earl of Tursaud, seem
unlikely in light of the circumstances of his father's death.

He may be
identical to Sir Meliot de Logres,
although their fathers differ and they sometimes appear in company
together.